[Our Meet the Pastors Series is published under the Share Your Story tab at the top of the homepage!]

Pastor Mendez (in Spanish, it’s Pastora for her) is new to the Mathes Pastor Training School. She joined us this past November and it was a joy to get to know her. She is:

Thoughtful

Bright

Passionate about the Word of God

Constructive with questions and comments

While all that is very good, something else about Pastor Mendez is very striking.

Crusade Preparation

One of our projects in Barahona this past November was the simultaneous crusade services. Those services took place on Thursday evening. We began on Monday morning asking the pastors to pray for the crusade services. We started and ended each class day with prayer. On Thursday things were a little more intense.

One of the seminars I taught in Batey Los Robles on Thursday was The Discipline of Worship. My method was to let the pastors experience some of the things we had included in the study outlines. I did a brief introduction, told them I wasn’t going to cover the material in the traditional way, and then began to lead them in a time of spontaneous worship. Worship includes prayer!

A Pastor’s Passion

In our worship time we prayed about several things, including the crusade services. All that was great. When I called that ‘class session’ to an end, I asked the pastors to pray for the other two men who would preaching that night. That went well and Pastor Mendez was obviously animated by the prayer time. As far as I was concerned, our prayer time was over we needed to move on to the next session. Pastor Mendez wasn’t ready!

The Passion Revealed

As I was introducing the next session, Pastor Mendez interrupted me and politely informed everyone they had laid hands on the other two crusade preachers but they had not done it for me. In about three seconds I was surrounded by more than two dozen pastors. Every pastor that could reach me had a hand on me per Pastor Mendez’s instructions. Touching me or not, they were all praying, and it wasn’t quiet or passive.

What was the result of our prayers? 22 people gave their lives to Christ that night. I hope this introduction will make it easy for you to pray for Pastor Mendez and all the other pastors in the Mathes Pastor Training Shcool.

Soli Deo Gloria!

One section of the Mathes Pastor Training School in Barahona meets in Batey Los Robles. Our host pastor is Pastor Ramon. He is a good friend and a devoted follower of Christ.

Pastor Ramon’s children

Everything I know about Pastor Ramon is made better by knowing his family. His son and daughter are often present for class. Both are delightful, sharp young people. The son is a little more introverted than his sister. Well, that’s an understatement. She’s definitely the extrovert. She can particiapte in class with great questions and great answers. Pastor Ramon is building the next generation as well as equipping an effective church.

Different cultures place different expectations on pastors. Some of them are not necessarily Biblical, but they are expectations. One of those for Pastor Ramon is dressing to preach. Guess that one is not limited to a single culture! His economic situation didn’t really allow him to meet that expectation. What happened?

One the pastors that helped us teach in 2013 arrannged to send Pastor Ramon a suit. (CLICK HEREto see a previous post about a handsome pastor) And that was not the only time. As we meet more and more dedicated, Godly servants of Christ we discover new opportunities for ministry.

Before you have a Spring garage sale, send us a note. You never know what’s hiding in your closet or garage that might meet a need for a pastor and his family.And even if you don’t have material things to meet a need, your prayers are needed for Pastor Ramon and others as we engage in planting new churches in 2015!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Want to lay up for yourself treasures in heaven?CLICK HERE to help fund this ministry and the 2015 church planting effort in the DR.

The English version comes across as Pastor Edward. He was part of the first seminar offered. He was also a member of the first graduating class this past March. This post is on the blog page as reminder of the Meet the Pastors series (published under the Storiestab).

Pastor Edward does a great job in his ministry. When he arrives for class, he usually has two other pastors on his scooter. He has a heart for ministry as well as his fellow ministers.

Space won’t allow me to tell the story, but Pastor Edward is a great example of faith. It took quite a few discussions for these pastors to understand the Biblical idea of restoration. Their culture and tradition takes the position: one strike and you’re out! The Church has long been known as the only army that shoots its wounded. Part of our work with these pastors was to help them overcome rigid legalism and embrace the Biblical concept of grace.

One particular session will always remain in my memory. We had spent a great deal of time that particular week stretching their understanding of grace. Honestly, our faculty was a little frustrated. In our evening evaluation session (back at the Mission House) we came up with a strategy to address the subject in the next day’s lessons. It was a little unusual, but we prayed about it and sensed it was the right thing to do.

Our morning sessions went well the next day (a Wednesday). On Thursday, Pastor Edward was noticeably excited as we began class. He wanted to share something. I let him do it.

He had used our lesson material from Wednesday morning as his Wednesday evening message at his church. We had challenged the pastors to act Biblically. In response, he challenged his congregation to act Biblically. There was a problem in the congregation and community. The pastor and the church confronted it. What was the result?

There is a predicable progression at work. This pastor decided to act in faith. He expected others to act in faith. Their collective acts of faith resulted in a long-standing problem being resolved before everyone went to bed on Wednesday evening.

I can’t wait to see what will happen when a man like this acts in faith to plant a new church! Will you pray for Pastor Edward?

Soli Deo Gloria!

We need your help! Our 2015 ministry people and projects will need funding. That will include engaging men like Pastor Edward in planting new churches.

Pastor Pedro is a well known name in Barahona. This pastor is another Pedro and we’ll add his last initial for clarity. 🙂

Pastor Pedro V. leads a church in Batey Santana. He graduated from the Mathes Pastor Training School this past March. He is continuing his studies.

Anyone would notice the quiet nature of Pastor Pedro V. He is always cordial with a pleasant smile. That might lead you to think he lacks a certain passion for ministry. That would be incorrect.

The evangelism results in the church he leads point to a dedicated pastor. And that is what these pastors have in common; a deep dedication to know and serve the Lord. They are also dedicated to serving and reaching others with the good news of the Gospel.

I trust you will pray for Pastor Pedro V. as well as our other Pastor Pedro. What God is doing among these pastors is truly awesome. I am grateful to get to be part of it. I am also glad to be able to give you that same opportunity! Engage with us by praying and if possible, make a donation to help equip this ministry going into 2015. Training the pastors is bearing fruit. Planting churches will cause that to increase!

Pastor Kelvin is another continuing student in the Mathes Pastor Training School. He was a member of our first graduating class this past March. Pastor Kelvin leads the Maranatha Church in El Penon near Barahona, Dominican Republic.

We were in Barahona last month for another week-long study intensive for the pastors. We often have “lab” projects to help train the pastors in various things. Last month we had them plan and coordinate simultaneous crusade services. Those services were held in three communities where are pastors serve. One of those communities was El Penon.

Pastor Kelvin and Pastor Garcia had leadership roles in that service. As it worked out, I was privileged to preach in El Penon and work with these men as well as some others. It was a great night because we saw 22 people accept Christ that night.

Pastor Kelvin, Pastor Garcia and others will be part of our church planting effort in 2015. Please pray for these pastors. It will take a great deal of prayer, time, and resources to help plant new churches.

There is much more information about the need for prayer in the latest Prayer Series on the blog page. The Meet the Pastors Series will continue here, so please stay engaged here as well as the blog page.

Pastor Garcia is a delightful man. He has a great sense of humor. He is a faithful student of God’s Word. He is a continuing student at the Mathes Pastor Training School. He is also a graduate of the school. And he has designated himself as something else.

It has been a great blessing to me to teach men like Pastor Garcia. Part of that blessing is the men who help me teach. This past year at least 16 men have served as faculty for the school. One of those is my father. That’s fun, it’s a blessing, and it’s part of Pastor Garcia’s designation.

Dad is in good health, he enjoys teaching these pastors, and they love him. They easily recognize the wisdom that comes with about 60 years of pastoral experience. When Dad isn’t able to go with us all the pastors ask about him. As a matter of fact, any pastor who has taught with me is inquired about if they are not present. These pastors take note of the ones who are willing to invest in them and they appreciate it greatly.

Three weeks ago Pastor Garcia was talking with me and Dad during a class break. He stood close to me and positiioned the two of us so we were side by side facing my Dad. Then he said, I am your brother!With that he motioned toward my father indicating we were both his sons. I was surprised, moved, and blessed. That is the kind of love and respect these men display to us as we teach them. And that is an important factor in the upcoming year.

Someone in my Dad’s congregation was taking him to task for spending time in the DR teaching these men. This person thought Dad didn’t need to spend time in the DR because:

People here need to hear the Word, too.

Dad acknowledged the truth of that statement. He then added: But the difference is, people there listen. That’s very true. And they will be listening at the end of this month as we return for a special seminar for next year’s ministry plan. Stay tuned to the blog posts for more information. And please remember to pray for us and all the pastors.